Book-holder



( 0 Model.)

A. C. BISBEE.

BOOK HOLDER.

11 d Jan. 25,1898.

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JLZJQ/ a 5532966,

Wifgesszs UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

ASA C. BISBEE, OF CARSONVILLE,MICHIGAN.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPEOIFTCATIQN forming part of Letters IPatent No. 597,?04, dated January25, 1898. Application filed January 21, 1897. $erial No. 620,124. (Nomodem To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ASA C. BISBEE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Garsonville, in the countypf Sanilac and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Book- I-lolder, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to book holders or frames particularly adaptedfor use with an index for account-books, its object being to provide aholder or frame which will support the index and hold it in a closedposition, but which will permit it to be opened at any desired point andautomatically close it.

This invention consists in the details of construction and combinationof parts hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the frame or holderwith the index in place, closed. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectionof Fig. 1, showing the index open. Fig. 3 is a detached detail.

Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the severalfigures.

1 indicates the base of the frame, which may be of any suitablematerial, either wood or metal, and which should preferably be of sofficient weight to keep the frame steady without any supplementalsecuring devices when the index is opened or closed.

2 represents the back, which may also be of any suit-able material andwhich, as shown, is partially open or cut away for the sake oflightness. The sides 8 of the frame between which the index is confinedare preferably made of wire bent to the desired form and secured to thebase 1 and back 2 by staples at or by other suitable securing devices.The side pieces 3 are provided at their upper ends with horizontalportions 5, on which are pivoted dogs 6, which are also preferably madeof wire bent substantially in the form of a bell-crank. The end of onearm has a curved outline, as indicated at '7, and the end ofthe otherarm is bent at a right angle to project inwardly beyond the sidepieces,-as indicated at 8. The book-closer consists of the two verticalarms 9, connected together at their upper ends by the crossbar 10 andpivoted at their lower ends on pins 11, which for convenience ofattachment are preferably threaded at their inner ends in order thatthey may be screwed into the base 1, as indicated at 12. The base isprovided at each of its ends with openings 13 for the reception of thepins 11 and a coiled spring 14:, which surrounds each of the pins 11 andhas its inner end secured in the base. The outer ends of the springs arecontinued upwardly and formed with hooks 15, which engage the verticalarms 9.

16 represents the index, which, as shown in Fig. 1,is adapted to rest onits bound edge on the base and to be held in avertical position bytheorossbar 10 of the book-closer, the springs 14 tending normally tohold it in that position. The cover of the index, which rests againstthe back of the frame, is provided with one or more straps 17, securedat one end to the cover in any suitable manner and each having aperforation at the opposite end to enable it to be hooked onto a pin 18,secured in the back of the frame. The strap or straps serve to keepthebook from pulling away from the back of the frame to an unnecessaryextent. in the position shown in Fig. 1, the curved arms '7 of the dogs6 rest upon the crossbar 10 and their inwardly-bent ends 8 are out ofengagement with the book. lVhen, however, the index is opened at anypoint and pulled downward, as shown in Fig. 2, the curved arms 7 willbedisengaged from the cross-bar 10 and fall downward and in a forwarddirection, thereby throwing the bent ends 8 of the other arms intoengagement with that part of the index which remains in a verticalposition and hold it there, as indicated in Fig. 2. These dogs mayoperate by gravity alone, if desired, or they may be provided withsprings 19, secured to the arms 7 and the frame, to pull the arms 7downward and hold the bent arms 8 in close contact and with suflioientforce against the leaves that are left in a vertical position as tosecurely hold them in such position. It may some times be desirable toconnect the springs 19 at one end to the arms 9 of the book-closerinstead of to the frame, and hence I do not intend to limit myself toany special point of attachment for these ends of the springs 19. It isof course to be understood that the springs 14 must be of sufficientforce to lift the index or any part of it that may be pulled When thebook is down and also to overcome the resistance of the dogs 6 in orderto enable the book-closer to return the index to its closed position.

The leaves of the index are provided with tags at different portions oftheir length, and these tags are lettered. in alphabetical sequence inthe ordinary manner. In order to open the book at any page, it is onlynecessary to take hold of the desired tag with the thumb and forefingerof the left hand and pull that portion of the index which is in advanceof such tag downward and hold it in that position until the necessaryentry is made, when by removing the hand from the index the book closerwill automatically return the portion that had been pulled down to itsclosed position, and in its upward movement the crossbar 10 will engagethe arms 7 of the dogs and throw the arms 8 out of the way to permit thebook to completely close.

Although I have described the sides 3 and the dogs 6 as being made ofwire bentto the desired form, it is to be understood that the sides maybe solid and that the dogs may be made of other metal than wire The wireis, however, preferable, since it is light and of sufficient strengthfor all strain that may be placed on either the sides or the dogs. Whileit is preferable to have the base of sufficient weight to hold the framesteady when in use, it is obvious that the base may be made of lightermaterial and secured to its support in order to holdit steady; but itwill not be always quite as convenient, especially when it is necessaryto frequently move the frame from place to place.

The advantages of my invention will be obvious; but among others it maybe stated that by the use of my invention a bookkeeper will be able toopen the index at any point desired by using only one hand,therebyavoiding the necessity of laying down his pen. The index will always beclosed automatically and kept closed by the frame when not in use, andit will therefore last much longer and be less liable to be torn orsoiled than if left lying around loose on a desk. It will also be out ofthe Way, since the most convenient place for it on the desk Will be atthe head of the ledger or similar book, and it will therefore not be inthe way of the bookkeepers arms or take up space to the right or left ofthe ledger or similar book.

If desired, the base may be provided with a recess for the reception ofan ink-well, and a pen-rack may also be attached to either of its endsor to its front edge.

It is of course to be understood that the frame may be employed to holdbooks other than indexes and that changes in the form, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a book-holder,the combination with the base and back against which the book rests,of asprin g-actuated book-closer pivoted on the base to engage the frontface of the book and hold thelatter in a vertically-closed position, anda dog adapted to engage the book when the book-closer is lowered, andhold the book in a vertical position, substantially as described.

' 2. In a book-holder, the combination with the frame, of aspring*actuated book-closer pivoted on the frame to engage the frontface of the book, and a bell-crank-shaped dog pivoted on the side of theframe with one arm normally engaging the book-closer and its other armadapted to engage the book when the book-closer is lowered,substantially as described.

3. In a book-holder, the combination with the frame adapted to receivethe book, of devices to detachably connect one cover of the book to theframe, a spring-actuated bookcloser pivoted on the frame to engage thefront face of the book and hold the latter in a vertical closedposition, and a dog adapted to engage the book when the book-closer islowered and hold the book in a vertical position, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a book-holder, the combination with the frame adapted to receivethe book, of devices to detachably connect one cover of the book to theframe, a spring-actuated bookcloser pivoted on the frame to engage thefront face of the book, a bell-crank-shaped dog pivoted on the framewith one arm normally engaging the book-closer and its other armnormally out of engagement with the book but adapted to engage it whenthe book closer is lowered, and means to positively move the latter arminto engagement with the book when the book-closer is lowered,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ASA O. BISBEE.

lVitnesses:

JOHN H. FARLEY, A. M. NILEs.

